Mare e Monte (Scallops and Truffles with Beef Marrow)

In this elegant take on surf and turf, served as an appetizer at Ai Fiori in New York City, chef Michael White nestles sweet scallops, black truffles, and celery root puree into split marrow bones and broils them under a blanket of bone marrow.

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This recipe first appeared in our March 2012 issue, with Mei Chin’s article Bone Gatherer.

Yield: serves 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped black truffles, plus 2 oz. thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1⁄2 lb. celery root, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
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• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 split beef marrow bones
• 1⁄2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 6 diver scallops
• Chicory or other peppery lettuce, to serve
• Celery leaves and fleur de sel, to garnish

Instructions

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together oil, sherry and balsamic vinegars, finely chopped truffles, and salt and pepper; set aside.
2. To make the celery purée, bring celery root, stock, and cream to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring, until very tender, about 35 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer celery root to a food processor, and purée with 1⁄4 cup cooking liquid; transfer to a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
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4. Using a paring knife, remove raw marrow from bones, and slice thinly; reserve. Bring distilled vinegar and 10 cups water to a boil in a 6-qt. saucepan over high heat, and add bones; cook until bones are bright white, about 45 minutes. Drain and let cool. Meanwhile, bring 1″ of water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan with a steamer basket insert; add scallops and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove scallops and let cool; cut into 1⁄4″-thick slices, and set aside.
5. To serve, heat broiler to high. Place bones, cavity side up, on a rimmed baking sheet, and fill each with 1⁄4 cup celery root purée. Alternately lay scallop and black truffle slices on top of purée; drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Lay slices of bone marrow lengthwise over scallops and truffles, and then broil until marrow is just melted, about 1 minute. Transfer to serving plates with a bed of lettuce underneath, and garnish with celery leaves and fleur de sel; drizzle more vinaigrette over marrow.
6. Place beef in the freezer to firm, about 30 minutes; this will make it easier to chop finely. Meanwhile, whisk mustard and egg yolks in a large bowl; while whisking constantly, slowly pour in oil to create a mayonnaise.
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8. Add capers, olives, parsley, Worcestershire, hot sauce, cornichons, and onion, and season with salt and pepper; refrigerate flavorings until ready to use.
9. Remove beef from freezer and cut into 1⁄4" cubes. Transfer beef to bowl of flavorings and stir to combine. Keep beef mixture chilled until ready to serve.
10. To serve, divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, and shape each into an oval disk on a serving plate. Serve immediately with fries and mixed greens, if you like.